THE OAK. 7 



a wood of ordinary growth. When first we saw this tree, 

 indeed, having nothing to compare it with of definite size 

 and shape but tlie surrounding Oaks, we fancied that it 

 was a Fir tree, and the Oaks borrowed from it, by com ■ 

 parison, a dignity not their own. On a rough guess, there 

 are from 300 to 500 veteran trees in the wood, and, as we 

 were glad to find, a great number of saplings. 



OAK IN WISTMAN'S WOOD. 



Two species of Oak are indigenous to Britain, and they 

 have been named by Botanists Quercus Robur, and Quercus 

 sessiliflora. The name Quercus is derived from the Celtic 

 ''quer" beautiful, and cuez, a tree. Rohur, according to 

 some, is derived from the Latin robur, strength : but we 

 may, with greater propriety, trace it to the Celtic rove, 

 another name for the Oak, whence the Latins obtained 

 their name for the tree, and subsequently adopted the same 



